These super simple soup recipes are perfect for chilly evenings and can be whipped up in a hurry

While most of us have grand intentions of meal-prepping at the weekends, it doesn’t always happen. Life gets in the way, you forget to buy some ingredients, and sometimes that elaborate three-bean chilli just doesn’t get made.

If you find yourself stuck on a weekday evening with nothing for dinner, these wholesome soups are perfect. You likely have most of these ingredients in your cupboard already. Even better, they can all be made in under half an hour, so you will be fed and sleeping soundly before you know it. These recipes will serve two hearty portions, so if you’re eating alone you can keep the extra in Tupperware for tomorrow’s lunch. Enjoy!

Carrot and lentil soup

The lentils in this soup make it extra filling and give you a healthy dose of protein. Serve with crusty bread and butter for extra indulgence.

Ingredients:

1 white onion

2 garlic cloves

2 carrots

85g red lentils

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Slice the onion and garlic and add it into a medium pan along with the olive oil.

Dice the carrots, then add them to the pan when the onion and garlic is soft and fragrant.

Add 1 litre of boiling water into a Pyrex container with the lentils and stock cube. Stir well.

Pour into the pan and cover it. Leave the soup to cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

Stir well, add salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy.

Vegetable ramen soup

This garlicky ramen soup is just the amount of salty to satisfy cravings for a takeaway. Ramen can be made with a variety of ingredients, so feel free to swap out vegetables or add meat or tofu for extra sustenance.

Ingredients:

1 white onion

2 garlic cloves

1 egg

1 red pepper

1/2 cup sweetcorn

1 vegetable stock cube

1 packet ramen noodles

Spinach leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

Soy sauce, to taste

Instructions:

Boil the egg in a small pan on medium heat.

While the egg is boiling, chop up the onion, garlic, sweetcorn, and red pepper. Add them into a medium pan with olive oil and fry for two minutes.

Add 1 litre boiling water to a Pyrex jug with the vegetable stock cube. Pour into the pan along with the vegetables and ramen noodles. Cover the pan and leave to boil for five minutes.

When your egg is boiled, remove it from the water and leave it to cool. Peel carefully.

Add the egg into your vegetable noodle broth, along with a handful of spinach leaves. Give it a stir and add soy sauce to taste. Enjoy!

Tomato and carrot soup

The quickest of our recipes, this can be put together with just five ingredients, so it’s great if you are running low on food. Tomato soup is an all-time classic and the perfect healer if you are coming down with a seasonal cold.

Ingredients:

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 courgette

1 carrot (a similar size to the courgette)

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Dice your courgette and carrot and add them into a medium pan. Cook in the olive oil, stirring every few minutes.

Add 1 litre boiling water to a Pyrex jug with the vegetable stock cube. Stir well then pour into to the pan with the vegetables.

Add the can of tinned tomatoes, stir well, and cover the pan. Leave to cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Serve into a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bon appetit!